


Don't have to walk it alone

by livinginadaydream (orphan_account)



Category: Disney RPF, Jonas Brothers, RPF - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Incest, Metaphors, Multi, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-04-29
Updated: 2009-04-29
Packaged: 2017-10-12 18:32:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/127811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/livinginadaydream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Bridges.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't have to walk it alone

There are these bridges everywhere. Some seem as wide as an ocean, plenty of room for everyone to cross at once. Others are narrow, like a path through the mountains, forged over time by the few people who knew of its existence only because they were the ones who thought of it. Some people just didn't see a trail that was for them, so they made their own. There were probably downsides to it, such as having to stumble over rocks, getting scratched up by limbs of trees that had grown as they pleased. It was worth it though. The beauty at the top of the mountain, knowing you made your own way, interacting with all things natural instead of pre-set boundaries. Dangerous, a little, but worth it... To some. Then there were those long ones that took forever and a day to get across. Because really, there were just some journeys in life that were never completed.

Someone could walk it day and night, their whole lives and never reach the other side. Some died, dreading the fact, while others just shook their head, defeated, but smiling in victory, because, well hey, they'd tried. At least they weren't one of those people who had jumped over the side in escape, retreat, dishonor. The shorter ones were cool and could be beneficial. Getting from one place to another in a speedy pace was hardly a crime. Just so long as they weren't the only bridges taken. That got boring and old rather fast, and it caused more damage than good, because pretty soon they were convinced that the longer paths were something they just couldn't cross, so what was the use? Better to get a million place, than to never get anywhere. Maybe that worked for a number of people, maybe not.

They all weaved over and under each other. Most of the bridges led to roads that led to more bridges, and that was okay. That was life. Life was the reason everyone was on earth.

For years Joe looked down from his bridge, the highest, steepest-built bridge for miles and miles. He loved it so much up there, where he could see everything, feel everything, sense everything. Every movement from the ground his structure was built from caused it to move, to sway, made him hold his breathe, not out of fear, but in awe. He felt so lucky because from where he was standing at any given moment, he could see hundreds of other paths, people he knew, as well as strangers. It was the perfect place for him. Joe felt wonderful; his bridge was his kingdom. He was the ruler, and he controlled, and he was important and necessary. Joe so loved being needed.

Mom and dad walked their parallel bridges side by side, both flowing smoothly from one side of a hill, just before the horizon, to the other. It was a steady trail; they were sure of themselves, knew what to do. From what Joe could see, which wasn't much from here, there were a couple of rather large rocks in their way, but every time he looked to them, it seemed they had hurdled another one. He would just smile, but he would never wave, never interact. They didn't either, only with each other, because when they had them, who needed anything else? Joe didn't mind. He was happy for them. He just - ended up somewhere else.

He vaguely remembered a time when all of them were on the same stretch. It wasn't like anything else that he could presently see. Instead of built by wood or rock, the bridge was plastic, and it was hardly a bridge at all, as it circled back into itself. A revolving door, of sorts. Eventually, the kids had jumped off one by one, into the pool of water that surrounded it, swimming to another bridge that went - somewhere. When all the kids were gone, that's when mom and dad found their way to their own, so happy to be as near each other as they were.

Frankie's bridge was amazing. Joe was so proud of him, maybe a little jealous. It was this ancient, Asian-styled platform that stretched on and on over beautiful landscape. Statues of dragons were everywhere, larger than life. The only bad part that Joe could see, were the tunnels. And they seemed so endless, taking Frankie years to get through just one. He'd enter into darkness, and in the dark he remained until he came out the other side. Joe wanted so badly to toss him a flashlight, or to better suit, a torch, but heck if he could throw that far... if he could find a way to get close enough.

Every now and then, he'd pass on a flashlight to one person or another, asking them, if they happen to get close to his brother, could they please give it to him, because he was worried, and it would mean so much to him. And from time to time, when he looked down and found himself walking over a body of water, there were several of those flashlights, floating, never having gotten the chance to reach their destination. Staring hurt, longingly after the objects for hours, he would finally stop hugging himself and move on. Maybe some day...

Kevin, he had several since expelling himself from their Cycle. It took a level of brilliance, of patience that sometimes Joe simply couldn't recognize. No one in their family had that but Kevin. No one ever picked a bridge like Kevin did, walked it like he did, enjoyed it, yet somehow sped through it like he did. Joe was a little bit jealous of that too. Every now and then, even from his spectacular height, Joe lost sight of his older brother. It worried him too, because every time that happened, Kevin came back, looking worn and ragged, and Joe wondered if he didn't keep falling into holes in his way, forgetting to look before he leapt, having to hold himself up along the underside of the bridge, grasping the wood.

He imagined Kevin digging his nails into the splinters of the boards, as he climbed on, hanging upside down until he came to the next hole and pulled himself back onto the deck of the bridge. Joe was scared for Kevin a lot of times. But Kevin, see, every other bridge he crossed was with Danielle, and he seemed so happy that Joe forgot to be scared, and soon learned he never had to be. Kevin never disappeared when he and Danielle shared a bridge. Joe just wished, for Kevin's sake, that he would learn to stick by her side, that it was okay, that life wasn't going to get away from him if he didn't separate from her.

She was special, but Joe didn't really keep tabs on Danielle much. Though most of the time, all he had to do was look to the part of the world the sun was shining in, look for a purple flower. She always had a purple flower in her hair. Kevin gave it to her. Every time he saw it, Joe smiled.

Then there was only bridge left that he ever really sought after. It was just a little to the left of his, just a little lower. Joe kept his eye on that one the most, because it was Nick's Bridge.

Nicks' was made completely of paper. His was the never-ending kind. Since he'd landed, Nick had done pretty good. His pace was fairly steady, and most of the time, the bridge held perfectly, not worrying him it might collapse, earning Nick's trust. There was a gentle sway about it that seemed to keep Nick going, and Joe couldn't help but think it was the pressure of his own bridge along the ground the other was built from, giving _it_ cause to move.

Gradually, though, Nick began slowing, until one day, when Joe looked down, he saw Nick, standing at the side, arms folded carefully along the paper guard-rail, looking over the edge. Even through the back of his head, Joe could see what Nick's eyes were doing, looking over, as if his way to salvation was out of reach. That he could only get to it if he just did one thing. Just went to the other side of the bridge and then ran straight ahead, tearing through, breaking down his railing easily, plummeting. So close. So far away...

That was when Joe made his decision, his final decision, that had been coming since the day he somehow stumbled onto the bridge directly across from Nicks'. He weighed his options, and used the power his bridge had given him. Used his final ruling, and jumped.

As he stepped up, onto his own railing, the stone beneath his feet began crumbling bit by bit, and when he flung himself off, toward Nick, the bridge collapsed, neatly, around Nick, around where he was standing, melting into a sort of pavement, flowing down the paper pathway, solidifying, melding two bridges into one, strengthening each other. Nick didn't turn, didn't leave his thoughts of suicide for a different life. But when Joe came up behind him, wrapping his arms around his shoulders, his chest, letting Nick feel the beat of his heart, the adrenalin rushing through his veins, Nick leaned back into Joe, away from the edge of their bridge. Their bridge, and soon enough, the journey continued, Nick and Joe, walking it together, forever.


End file.
